The Seven Passengers (BTSxTitanic)

Chapter 36: Namjoon

I sprint downstairs despite the water slowing my momentum. I'm already knee deep with only three steps taken. Against my will, my body freezes. I know this is a death wish, but what other option do we have?

Seokjin must see the same outcome, because he stays at the doorway. "We'll be trapped if we go downstairs!"

"And we'll be shot if we go upstairs."

I think of Aster Johnsson inside the cabin with Seokjin. If I was a second late, he would have a bullet in his heart. I could have easily been killed, too. Perhaps even been framed as a murder-suicide case.

But Aster Johnsson is upstairs now, and from the shouts of the crowd above us, there is a low possibility that he will be able to get past them. All there is left to do is find a way out of this maze that will lead us to the other side of the ship.

Seokjin splashes in the water to catch up with me. His suit is surprisingly still in moderate condition, though his hair is messier than before. A single strand hangs just above his eye, giving a fierce sort of look on him. Matched with his determination to tread through the water as quickly as possible, the new look works well for him.

"There should be an elevator shaft that will take us upstairs," Seokjin says.

As we both walk slowly, the water touches our chins, forcing us to swim the rest of the way. Seokjin gracefully glides through the water like it's second nature to him, while I cling on to the wall and shimmy my way down.

In my efforts to avoid drawing attention to myself, I misjudge my footing and slip under.

Within seconds, Seokjin is at my side. I cough up water once I'm above the surface and push back the mop of hair that sticks to my forehead.

"You don't know how to swim?" Seokjin says. He guides me with him so naturally that I almost overlook the fact that he's holding my hand. The gesture doesn't seem to faze him. I'm glad it doesn't. I don't want to let go.

"It's okay if you don't," Seokjin says. I wonder if he has read my mind when I realize he's talking about swimming, not holding hands. "It's not a skill most are well accompanied with. I learned from my grandfather when I fell from his sailboat. That was the fastest lesson I've ever been taught."

"It's too bad," I fake a sigh. "Your grandfather should have held you under."

Water splashes in my face. When I can open my eyes, I spot Seokjin grinning. It's nice to see him smile again. For most of the night, I wondered if I'd ever get to see the glow on his face. That confidence shines only in the darkest of times, and right now, he's practically beaming as we are swimming blindly. Still, I'd rather have an optimist at my side.

I'd rather have Kim Seokjin at my side.

We swim ahead—well, Seokjin swims— until we approach the very elevator that Seokjin spoke of. The bronze architect curled around the lift, as if the statues were afraid of getting wet too. The doors are shut tight, with little room to give.

"There should be a set of stairs nearby," I say with a hint of uncertainty. I know nothing of this ship's layout, so my best judgment is skewed.

"I found it!" Seokjin calls. I follow behind as he leads us up a staircase hiding in the corner. I'm more than relieved when I can feel the steps beneath my feet. I practically crawl my way up until I feel the soft carpet again.

We're in a hallway that leads out to the deck, though I'm not sure which. There are fewer people here, which means we must be on the other side of the ship. It also means the distance between us and Aster Johnsson is relatively big. If we are careful, we can lose him.